The present invention relates to an improved easel, generally of the type used by artists or in presenting charts or other visual presentations or the like.
Easels have heretofore existed in known constructions to include tripod arrangements where three legs are joined at the apex of the tripod and are movable outwardly at the outer free ends of same to define the tripod. A horizontal tray or the like is secured between two of the legs to secure the legs in the separated position, and likewise be available for receipt of a canvas or other article to be supported by the tray and upper portions of the two legs. The third leg of this type easel, extends rearwardly with respect to the front legs generally transverse to the article supporting tray. Some type of fastening means such as bolts with wing nuts are generally utilized at the apex of the tripod to secure the legs in an open or closed position, and for securement of the tray to the two front legs.
In a further prior art easel, the legs and elements used to interrelate the legs are all separable such that individual elements may be stored in a box for storage and/or transport, and at the point of use, may be assembled into a conventional tripod easel assembly. These types of easels are generally intended for temporary use, and are often quite small and unstable in use.
In a further, more permanent type easel, a tripod foundation is still utilized, though the two front legs that support the article receiving tray are permanently secured in their separated or bifurcated position with the third or rear leg being pivotally associated at the apex of the first two legs. With such arrangement, for storage the rear leg is simply brought into a position immediately adjacent and behind the first two legs.
While all of the above types of easels will adequately support an artist's canvas, a graph, chart or other visual aid, each is fraught with certain problems. The generally portable or collapsible easel, whether with discrete separable elements or legs that are permanently secured at an apex and are movable inwardly and outwardly at the outer free ends of same to form a tripod or to collapse the easel, are generally lightweight in nature due to the totally skeletal nature of same. Hence, once a canvas or other article is received in a supporting relationship thereon, the overall system is less than stable. In fact, working around the easel one often overlooks the protruding leg due to a lack of bulk or mass, and is apt to trip over the leg, kick the leg or the like, any of which may overturn the easel and/or the item supported thereon. Conversely, the standard studio type easel, with two front legs permanently secured in the desired disposition, and only the rear leg pivotally connected is much more stable than the types previously discussed, but is very cumbersome to move about. Generally such easels are not intended for transport, but are normally maintained for permanent and continuous use at the initial point of installation.
Easels according to the present invention overcome both of the problems of the known prior art easels, in that, a greater bulk or mass is provided which better supports a canvas or other item thereon, and renders the easel much more visible than the skeletal conventional, collapsible easels. Present easels are thus much less likely to be kicked or tripped over. Additionally, easels according to the present invention are collapsible into a convenient transportable mode which, when considered in conjunction with the increased mass renders same ideal for out-of-doors use.
There is no known prior art that is believed to anticipate or suggest the easel of the present invention.